Cairo: The Egyptian Red Crescent (ERC) dispatched its 95th 'Zad Al-Izza' convoy to Gaza early on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, carrying about 9,000 blankets, 53,200 winter clothing items, 3,400 mattresses, and nearly 11,000 tents as Egypt steps up winter aid to the strip amid severe cold and worsening weather conditions.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the convoy also delivered more than 8,000 tons of emergency aid, including over 3,900 tons of food parcels and flour, more than 2,900 tons of essential medical and relief supplies, and over 1,200 tons of petroleum products.
Since the outbreak of Israel's war on Gaza in October 2023, Egypt has led the largest and most sustained humanitarian operation into the besieged territory, coordinating aid with the United Nations and international partners despite the ongoing Israeli blockade. Egypt has delivered about 70 percent of all assistance entering Gaza, maintaining aid flows for more than 760 consecutive days through the Rafah and Karm Abu Salem crossings.
Total deliveries have exceeded 665,000 tons, coordinated by the ERC, supported by more than 35,000 volunteers. Moreover, Egypt has worked with 59 countries, handling 943 relief flights and 617 maritime shipments. Inside Gaza, Egypt has facilitated the entry of 214 ambulances, supplied about 91,000 tons of fuel, deployed four field hospitals, and expanded ground deliveries through the Zad Al-Izza: From Egypt to Gaza initiative, which alone has delivered over 130,000 tons of aid since late July.
On the ground, rescuers continue to retrieve bodies, especially in areas where buildings were heavily damaged or destroyed during the conflict. Authorities report that war-damaged structures remain at risk of collapse due to heavy winter storms, and ongoing rain and flooding make it extremely difficult to access rubble to recover bodies still trapped beneath. Emergency services estimate that around 9,000 bodies remain buried under debris from Israeli bombardment, but a lack of heavy equipment is slowing recovery efforts, particularly in densely damaged residential areas.
Rescue teams have occasionally retrieved remains from collapsed multi-storey buildings where dozens were believed to be sheltering, but overall progress remains slow due to weather conditions and structural instability. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Information Centre reported that Hamas representatives warned of worsening hardship, saying damaged tents and inadequate shelter have left thousands without protection from rain and cold, deepening the emergency. They called on international mediators and ceasefire guarantors to allow unhindered humanitarian access and begin reconstruction efforts.